Please join The Canadian Club of Toronto on Tuesday, March 8th, when the Honourable Jim Prentice, Vice Chairman of CIBC speaks at our podium.
The Honourable Jim Prentice, Senior Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman joined CIBC in January 2011. In this role, he is responsible for expanding CIBC’s relationships with corporate clients across Canada and abroad, and with providing leadership on strategic initiatives to enhance CIBC’s position in the market.
Mr. Prentice is well known for his contribution to public life in Canada. He was elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre North in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 and 2008. From January 2006 until November 2010 he was one of the most senior Ministers in the Canadian Government, serving variously as the Minister of Industry, the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Described by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the Chief Operating Officer of the Government of Canada, Mr. Prentice chaired the Operations Committee of Cabinet, and sat on the Priorities and Planning Committee from 2006 through November 2010. He was the Minister responsible for major pipeline projects and also served as the Senior Minister from Alberta.
While serving as the Minister of Industry, he modernized the Investment Canada Act and implemented guidelines governing investments in Canada by foreign State Owned Enterprises. He renewed the Competition Act. He launched the very successful Spectrum Auction, which brought additional competition to the telecommunications industry, and he established the Automotive Innovation Fund to stimulate growth in the automotive industry. He also launched the Vanier Scholarships and the Global Research Chairs.
As Canada’s Environment Minister¸ Mr. Prentice was responsible for the Clean Energy Dialogue between Canada and the U.S. He served as Canada’s principal intermediary with the Obama Administration on energy and environment matters, as well as Canada’s negotiator for climate change negotiations, which culminated in the Copenhagen Accord of 2009. In addition, he harmonized carbon emission policies for the Canadian and American transportation network and established the national policy that will phase out dated coal burning plants in Canada.
Prior to entering public office, Mr. Prentice practiced law in Calgary, specializing in commercial law and property rights. He served as the Co-Chair of the Indian Claims Commission of Canada from 1993 until 2000. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1977 and then entered Dalhousie Law School as a Dunn Scholar, graduating with his Bachelor of Laws in 1980. Mr. Prentice was designated a Queen’s Counsel in 1992.
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